LAHORE – Maya and Shamaun, a couple based in Mumbai, got their nikahsolemnised by Qazi Hakima Khatoon in Kolkata on January 5.
Maya and her fiancé came across the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan’s(BMMA) website and saw that the movement had trained women Qazis in Quranicand constitutional rights.
Just like Khatoon, 29 other women across the country underwent training in2016, of which 15 were certified as qazis by Darul Uloom-e-Niswan, Centrefor Islamic learning and Theology. This was the first wedding by the 2016batch.
“The biggest challenge,” says Noorjehan Safia Niaz, co-founder of the BMMA,“is to get couples to come forward. We need more Mayas and Shamauns – thenew age, modern, liberal Muslim men and women.”
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Khatoon said she started work a month prior to the date. “We had to decideon mehr (a security amount given by husband to wife at the time ofwedding), check identity proofs, ensure the application form was in placeand explain the procedure to the couple. We were a little anxious, but thesupport shown by the couple and their guests made our work easier,” saidKhatoon.
